Sweet Protection also make white water helmets, I am waiting to hear back about which helmet would be good for windfoiling and potential mast impacts. They have thick padding but no double layer shell, but very good venting in the Rocker, the black areas on the top of the helmet are vents. But those vents also could weaken the helmet for a mast impact.
Select to expand quoteImax1 said..Sandman1221 said..
Head protection is Something to think about in my opinion.
Your a yank , should be thinking of a bullet proof vest .
It's kinda scary seeing randos wearing bulletproof vests. My first thought is they'll pull out an AR-15 and shoot up the closest kindergarten. My second thought is they'll pull out an AR-15 and shoot up the closest grocery store. Sadly none of those scenarios are far fetched.
I havnt read the whole thread so apologies if I am repeating others...
You should be very careful with
Sun visors or helmets with any protrusion that can change a linear impact into a rotational one. Rotation is a really really bad idea. If you are wearing/ buying a helmet for safety reasons it does not make any sense to choose one that has the potential to make a head impact worse!
Select to expand quotesheddweller said..
I havnt read the whole thread so apologies if I am repeating others...
You should be very careful with
Sun visors or helmets with any protrusion that can change a linear impact into a rotational one. Rotation is a really really bad idea. If you are wearing/ buying a helmet for safety reasons it does not make any sense to choose one that has the potential to make a head impact worse!
Thanks sheddweller, that has not been mentioned, at high speeds it certainly could be an issue. I use a soft flexible sun visor under my Chaos helmet because it has no visor, but would prefer to have a built in visor. Trident visor is fairly short, may need to use the flexible visor on it too, but will keep that in mind during a crash.
Now the larger visor on the Rocker is made to rotate upward during an impact, and also has vents built in, probably for the reason you pointed out, but once it reaches the upper end of the upward rotation would lock-in place. Trident is looking like a better option with the short built in visor.
Sweet Protection sells replacement visors, wondering if they are designed to break free on impact.
Some of the Gath helmets have an interesting design to them, with what looks like a "soft/padded" and vented visor, and is marketed for water sports like windsurfing, have seen a PWA windsurfer/foiler wearing one at a race, Gath SFC (red helmet) which also meets the EU 2016 Kite Surfing Standard. Maybe the front visor is designed to reduce water catching the front of the helmet and rotating the head like sheddweller mentioned? But there are no sail masts in kite boarding, so was not designed for a mast impact. Versus the Gedi (yellow) that has a plastic front and mini skull cap (probably helpful in a mast impact), but does not meet the EU 2016 kite surfing standard. Though there is an optional visor for the Gedi that can rotate (grey).
Got my WRSI Trident helmet in L/XL today, fits perfect as is!, and I have a big head so this is really an XL IMO. What was neat to see is the helmet is coated/painted white except for the WRSI logo which lets you see the carbon fiber twill outer shell. Really like the double shell design that keeps an object from punching/impacting straight though. Comes with a nice fabric cover bag, and a breathable mesh removable liner, will be interesting to see how cool or hot it is in Florida sun cause I want to wear it year round if possible.
Sandman what size hat do you wear? I'm usually 7 7/8 (63cm circumference) which means most XL don't really fit me. WRSI claims up to 62cm on that helmet - do you think it runs larger than that?
Select to expand quoteAwalkspoiled said..
Sandman what size hat do you wear? I'm usually 7 7/8 (63cm circumference) which means most XL don't really fit me. WRSI claims up to 62cm on that helmet - do you think it runs larger than that?
My head is 24"/61 cm and it fits with a cushy feeling, can get index finger (~3/4" thick) in between helmet and both sides of head comfortably, and 1 finger between front of helmet and head (snug) with back of head tight against helmet. Guess it depends on the shape of your head, if you head is wider than mine, it may fit fine, but if your head is longer it may be too tight. Call them and ask, they like to talk to people. Free shipping and free returns.
Used a C-clamp to measure my head, 6" wide and 8-3/16" wide, so if your head diameter is bigger due to an increased width you should be okay, but not too much room for increase in length.
Select to expand quoteSandman1221 said..
The peak acceleration must not exceed 250G for any of the impacts.
WTF!! NHTSA arrived at 50-75g as the fatal limit for sudden acceleration/impacts. What a ****ty criteria for a protective helmet.
Select to expand quoteozzimark said..Sandman1221 said..
The peak acceleration must not exceed 250G for any of the impacts.
WTF!! NHTSA arrived at 50-75g as the fatal limit for sudden acceleration/impacts. What a ****ty criteria for a protective helmet.
An once is 28.35 grams, so you think a peak acceleration of a 2-3 ounce impact is going to be fatal?
I looked at the NHTSA website (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), they rate car impacts!, www.nhtsa.gov/ratings. Where did you get the 50-75 g limit as being fatal? Who here is windsurfing on highways!
Select to expand quoteSandman1221 said..Awalkspoiled said..
Sandman what size hat do you wear? I'm usually 7 7/8 (63cm circumference) which means most XL don't really fit me. WRSI claims up to 62cm on that helmet - do you think it runs larger than that?
My head is 24"/61 cm and it fits with a cushy feeling, can get index finger (~3/4" thick) in between helmet and both sides of head comfortably, and 1 finger between front of helmet and head (snug) with back of head tight against helmet. Guess it depends on the shape of your head, if you head is wider than mine, it may fit fine, but if your head is longer it may be too tight. Call them and ask, they like to talk to people. Free shipping and free returns.
Used a C-clamp to measure my head, 6" wide and 8-3/16" wide, so if your head diameter is bigger due to an increased width you should be okay, but not too much room for increase in length.
Correction, head is 6" wide and 8-3/16" long.
Select to expand quoteSandman1221 said..ozzimark said..Sandman1221 said..
The peak acceleration must not exceed 250G for any of the impacts.
WTF!! NHTSA arrived at 50-75g as the fatal limit for sudden acceleration/impacts. What a ****ty criteria for a protective helmet.
An once is 28.35 grams, so you think a peak acceleration of a 2-3 ounce impact is going to be fatal?
I looked at the NHTSA website (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), they rate car impacts!, www.nhtsa.gov/ratings. Where did you get the 50-75 g limit as being fatal? Who here is windsurfing on highways!
"g" in this context is a measurement of acceleration. 250g means your head is applying 250 times the force of gravity while decelerating. That means 2750 pounds of force to the inside of the helmet, assuming your head is an average 11 pounder. Your brain is gonna be mush. Again, assuming it isn't already.
I think the NHTSA had a fair understanding of how to protect human bodies from impact, and their research is directly relevant here. They do focus on the body as a whole, which is a bit more robust than the head itself. that pesky brain and all not liking being sloshed around. The rating is pulled from a research paper they released. Feel free to read here: www.nhtsa.gov/document/criteriapdf-0
Select to expand quoteozzimark said..Sandman1221 said..ozzimark said..Sandman1221 said..
The peak acceleration must not exceed 250G for any of the impacts.
WTF!! NHTSA arrived at 50-75g as the fatal limit for sudden acceleration/impacts. What a ****ty criteria for a protective helmet.
An once is 28.35 grams, so you think a peak acceleration of a 2-3 ounce impact is going to be fatal?
I looked at the NHTSA website (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), they rate car impacts!, www.nhtsa.gov/ratings. Where did you get the 50-75 g limit as being fatal? Who here is windsurfing on highways!
"g" in this context is a measurement of acceleration. 250g means your head is applying 250 times the force of gravity while decelerating. That means 2750 pounds of force to the inside of the helmet, assuming your head is an average 11 pounder. Your brain is gonna be mush. Again, assuming it isn't already.
I think the NHTSA had a fair understanding of how to protect human bodies from impact, and their research is directly relevant here. They do focus on the body as a whole, which is a bit more robust than the head itself. that pesky brain and all not liking being sloshed around. The rating is pulled from a research paper they released. Feel free to read here: www.nhtsa.gov/document/criteriapdf-0
Oh, ozzimark thank you for the clarification on "g"!
But I do not see how a "4 kg test head" in a helmet dropped from 1 meter can create 2750 lbs of force inside the helmet, that just seems out of proportion. I mean, if that were true and I jumped off a 1 meter high steps-tool onto my board I would crush it since I would be applying 20x2750 = 55,000 pounds of force!
Select to expand quoteozzimark said..
Are you ok there man?
Yes, and can you explain your numbers?, they seem awfully unrealistic!
My numbers: I weight ~80 kg, 80 kg/4 kg (weight of dummy head) = 20, 20 x 2750 lb (impact of head) = 50,000 lb.
Now if the 4 kg dummy head was traveling at 70 mph inside a car, and the car hit something and came to a sudden stop resulting in the head flying into the windshield of the car, then you numbers would start to make sense. And that is what NHTSA would calculate, but I do not windfoil on highways!
So back to you, are you all right?
I use a Gath Eva.
No peak or other sticky out bit to catch on water or boom as you fly past it. Snug fit all around, including lower down the back of the head unlike those which sit at ear level. I use it for sun protection as well as impact. Over 4 years old and no corrosion.
There are no rivets on the helmet holding things in place, apart from the chin strap. Take a big hit on a rivet and will that be like someone hammering a (blunt) nail in your head?
gathsports.com/product/gath-hat-eva/
Select to expand quotePhilUK said..
I use a Gath Eva.
No peak or other sticky out bit to catch on water or boom as you fly past it. Snug fit all around, including lower down the back of the head unlike those which sit at ear level. I use it for sun protection as well as impact. Over 4 years old and no corrosion.
There are no rivets on the helmet holding things in place, apart from the chin strap. Take a big hit on a rivet and will that be like someone hammering a (blunt) nail in your head?
gathsports.com/product/gath-hat-eva/
PhilUK, Yeah, the Gath EVA (see red helmet in previous post) is the one I saw a PWA racer wearing, just looks kinda funny to me, but figured it was for a reason as you point out (no front brim/visor to catch anything). Really like the WSRI Trident and the short brim/visor is a good sunshade. I have used a flexible visor under my NRS Chaos but it drips water after a crash due to the nylon fabric holding onto water. Will see how the Trident works on the water, hopefully soon. Have not had any out of control/over powered crashes since my lessons with Andy, just more controlled crashes doing gybes. But that is what got Jose, hence the helmet upgrade.
Select to expand quoteSandman1221 said..
PhilUK, Yeah, the Gath EVA (see red helmet in previous post) is the one I saw a PWA racer wearing, just looks kinda funny to me
Different model. That one has removable ear pieces, which I would never remove, after having a load of problems with ear/eustachian tube after a wipeout. Also a rivet around the temple.
Select to expand quotePhilUK said..Sandman1221 said..
PhilUK, Yeah, the Gath EVA (see red helmet in previous post) is the one I saw a PWA racer wearing, just looks kinda funny to me
Different model. That one has removable ear pieces, which I would never remove, after having a load of problems with ear/eustachian tube after a wipeout. Also a rivet around the temple.
The Trident does not have ear pieces, so thought I could take removable ear pieces off of Chaos and use velcro to attach to Trident for sun protection. They were not easy to remove, soaked with WD40, then used a thin flat blade screw driver to pry apart, it worked! When I put them back on the Chaos covered metal snap with teflon tape and snapped on, metal snaps were corroding a little, that is what made it hard to get apart.
Got out today with the Trident helmet, around 88 degrees, did not even notice the helmet, so cool helmet in the heat cause my head is not pressed against an eva liner, but instead Trident has a mesh liner with room for air to circulate. And the brim is good, kept sun out of my eyes all the way to 7:20 pm or so when I stopped. Touched outside of the white helmet and was cool, then touched the WSRI logo that shows the carbon fiber, was warm, but small area and only warm on the side facing the sun, so does not hold heat, great helmet over all!
